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    PROTOCOL-DNS DNS query amplification attempt - now hosting TOR traffic

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • A
      armaclaren
      last edited by

      To whom it may concern,

      I thought I would reach out to the community for some help on a potential issue. The other day I saw the following error in my firewall log that was blocked by SNORT.

      PROTOCOL-DNS DNS query amplification attempt

      I did some google research and was concerned, but didnt find much on this issue. I did however, find a website about how to setup PFsense to block DNS requests in case of potential malware:

      https://www.doyler.net/security-not-included/pfsense-block-dns-requests-no-malware

      What caught my attention was at the time; I was setting up a new PFsense appliance that was behind my current firewall (I’m kind of paranoid like that, keeping a safe environment until the new one is 100% setup).

      The new PFsense appliance was still waiting to download the Emerging Threats Open Rule set when SNORT made mention in the new PFsense appliance logs, that it had blocked a mal-formed packet. After that. Nothing, everything was just quiet. Just the occasional PROTOCOL-DNS DNS query amplification attempt in the logs.

      Today I was going through my PFsense logs on my main appliance and it looks like the new appliance I am setting up; after blocking that mal-formed packet is now routing TOR traffic (on port 123).

      Clearly my network has been compromised. But what I’m concerned about is the new appliance and how after a mal-formed packet, it’s now routing TOR traffic. Has anyone seen this before?

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      • GertjanG
        Gertjan
        last edited by

        @armaclaren:

        I did some google research and was concerned, but didnt find much on this issue. I did however, find a website about how to setup PFsense to block DNS requests in case of potential malware:

        https://www.doyler.net/security-not-included/pfsense-block-dns-requests-no-malware

        That site explains how to block DNS requests from devices on LAN to external DNS name servers. The enforce the usage of pfSense as a DNS.
        This has nothing to do with stopping malware. malware often hard-codes IP addresses so no need to a DNS lookup anyway.

        @armaclaren:

        …...
        Today I was going through my PFsense logs on my main appliance and it looks like the new appliance I am setting up; after blocking that mal-formed packet is now routing TOR traffic (on port 123).
        Clearly my network has been compromised. But what I’m concerned about is the new appliance and how after a mal-formed packet, it’s now routing TOR traffic. Has anyone seen this before?

        So, what have you hook up behind these pfSense installations ? When you remove all devices, the alerts stops, right ? Clean your devices and you'll be fine.

        No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
        Edit : and where are the logs ??

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        • johnpozJ
          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
          last edited by

          Also let me point out that snort can produce a shit ton of false positives!!!

          You need to fully understand what your viewing when snort says xyz..And you should really validate that its actually bad and not just false positive…  Could be simple dns query and ntp query happening..

          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
          SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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          • NogBadTheBadN
            NogBadTheBad
            last edited by

            People would now appear to be hosting NTP servers on TOR exit nodes, I've seen it myself as I enable emerging-tor.rules

            https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=103222.msg576506#msg576506

            What does the alert read, x.x.x.x out your personal address ?

            2018-01-19,13:51:10,Alert,pfsense,auth,snort,[1:2523263:3211] ET TOR Known Tor Relay/Router (Not Exit) Node UDP Traffic group 632 [Classification: Misc Attack] [Priority: 2] {UDP} 95.211.224.12:123 -> x.x.x.x:35404

            I just use the following:-

            0.pool.ntp.org
            1.pool.ntp.org
            2.pool.ntp.org
            3.pool.ntp.org

            Andy

            1 x Netgate SG-4860 - 3 x Linksys LGS308P - 1 x Aruba InstantOn AP22

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            • johnpozJ
              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
              last edited by

              Yeah you can see for sure that IP is part of the ntp pool.

              http://www.pool.ntp.org/scores/95.211.224.12

              An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
              If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
              Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
              SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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              • bmeeksB
                bmeeks
                last edited by

                @johnpoz:

                Yeah you can see for sure that IP is part of the ntp pool.

                http://www.pool.ntp.org/scores/95.211.224.12

                Yeah…that's my biggest gripe with a lot of the blacklist type of IP lists.  They mix up the good guys and the bad guys sometimes, and it is frequently difficult to get mistakes fixed.

                Bill

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